3 Things I’ve Learned About the Power of Face-to-Face Connection

Last November, Connect’s sister company, BizBash, teamed up with BrandSync Events to host an intimate dinner party for 16 senior-level event marketers and planners. The group discussed a single question: What's keeping you up at night?

And wow, did that dinner deliver. These impressive leaders were sharing honest, vulnerable insights about remaining relevant, leading a team, and being authentic within their events. By dessert, it felt like everyone had been friends for years. And—though no prompting from us—the group has continued to meet up for happy hours, and is even thinking about teaming up to launch a mentorship program.?

How cool is that?! It affirmed one of the biggest things I’ve learned during my two decades in the event industry: It’s all about connection. (There’s a reason it’s right there in our company name!)

As I humbly step into my new role as Managing Director of Connect and BizBash, my goal is to keep cultivating those essential connections in everything we do here. Bringing event professionals together with the resources they need—in-person events that cultivate important relationships, compelling content that helps them do their jobs, and more—is what keeps me and my team going day in and day out.

Last week, as I flew back from our Connect NYC event and excitedly looked ahead to our Spring Marketplace event in April, I started reflecting on the power of face-to-face connections.?

Here are some things I’ve learned…?

1. Magic happens when you get the right people in the right room.?

In our view, we're not just organizing events; we're curating experiences that bring together the right mix of talents, ideas, and energies. Every handshake has the potential to become a long-lasting partnership, and every conversation could be the start of the next epic idea.

At Connect and BizBash, we believe that true moments of connection and rapport are the lifeblood of business and innovation. And that’s exactly what our team aims to do at events like our Spring Marketplace—taking place in Las Vegas from April 1-4—where 2,000+ attendees (including a record number of first-timers!) will have real, meaningful interactions via networking, one-on-one meetings, innovative education sessions, and a dynamic trade show.

2. Getting your name out there is crucial. Of course, securing a spot in the room is only the beginning. To truly leverage the power of face-to-face connections, in my view, you have to be an active participant—and embrace the art of self-promotion. There’s a reason the tagline for BizBash’s recent Event Experience Awards was “You’re nobody until you’re noticed. Helping event professionals get noticed has been a part of our mission since day one.

Getting noticed isn't about being the loudest in the room; it's about being the most memorable. This is where strategic self-promotion comes into play. Whether it’s submitting your work for editorial coverage, applying to speak on a panel , or sponsoring a booth , integrating your brand into this community of innovators, influencers, and industry leaders can help ensure that when decisions are made, your name is at the forefront of people’s minds.

3. There’s nothing like a shared experience. Imagine the energy in the room at last week’s Après Connect event , where attendees wore their wintery best, hung out in networking igloos, and had their cocktails delivered by drones, all set against a jaw-dropping NYC skyline. (Yes, I’m still recovering.) Now dream a little bigger and imagine a closing party appearance from Grammy award-winning rapper, producer, and Super Bowl halftime show star Lil Jon—because that’s just one of the headline-grabbing moments planned for Connect’s Summer Marketplace in August.

These moments spark conversations, emotions, and a shared sense of exhilaration that attendees will carry with them long after the event concludes. And when you align yourself with these bonding, emotion-sparking moments—whether by participating as a speaker, sponsor, or attendee—you're not just making a statement about your brand; you're weaving your story into the collective narrative of the event and the community it created.?

As we look forward to Connect’s Spring Marketplace, Summer Marketplace, and other 2024 events and initiatives, I’m pledging to keep connection top of mind every step of the way. Together, let's create a space where every moment is an opportunity for connection, every interaction is a chance to inspire, and every experience leaves a mark.

Want to get involved? Check out the links below:

Attend our events: https://www.connectmeetings.com/

Pitch our editors: https://www.bizbash.com/page/get-featured

Partner with us: https://www.bizbash.com/page/build-your-brand-with-bizbash ?